Chapter 639: In my family, a daughter has just come of age; Xixi is eleven, this is the first time

Heaven and earth had no snowfall; usually, when Xixi celebrated her birthday, it was in winter, the cold twelfth lunar month when snow drifted down.

But now, being inside the Hell Lotus Ground, perhaps due to different seasonal timing and a vastly different environment, there is basically no harsh winter cold.

There is a slight seasonal mismatch.

But for someone of Li Che's stature, this time difference is negligible and would not cause him to misjudge his daughter's birthday.

At the instant his heart pounded in his chest, Li Che knew Xixi's birthday had come.

The seasons turn, another year!

Xixi is eleven!

This year is Xixi's eleventh birthday; she has fully grown into a young maiden!

One could even say she has shed her childishness.

Li Che sat upright under the eaves, eyes opened, and everything in heaven and earth became clear in his vision.

He withdrew his consciousness from the design space of the Immortal Craft Dao Fruit, paused work on the Equal Heaven Armor and Nezha Armor, stood, stretched, and his bones crackled.

He stepped forward to the edge of the Hell Lotus Mound Pool.

Gurgle—

The water in the Hell Lotus Mound Pool churned nonstop, like a fountain at its peak, continuously pouring down like a curtain that enveloped the entire pool.

Slowly, it traced the outline of a figure.

It was a graceful maiden's figure; Li Che's gaze fell upon it, and he exhaled involuntarily.

Xixi entered the Hell Lotus Mound Pool to receive the inheritance, which was not brief; it was unclear whether she had received the legacy of past Hell Lotus maidens.

Whether she had suppressed the Hell Lotus Curse's power; if not, Xixi would soon face the risk of the curse running wild, becoming the executioner of heaven and earth's will.

This is what Li Che has always been unwilling to see.

He clenched his fists; inside the Hell Lotus Mound Pool, the Flying Thunder chess pieces failed, and Li Che could not sense Xixi's state, so he could only stare, trying to see clearly.

Boss and Dog Grandfather also walked over.

The two of them and the dog stood beside the Hell Lotus Mound Pool, silently waiting for the maiden's return.

No one knew how long had passed.

The water flow of the Hell Lotus Mound Pool finally ceased.

As black strands surfaced, followed by Xixi's fair skin and slender figure, gradually taking on the look of a young maiden; her long hair swayed down to her waist, flying like a cape.

Xixi closed her eyes, wearing a black dress embroidered with golden lotus; her long, fair legs resembled two finely carved white jade pillars.

Her face bore a cold expression; though still childish, she already possessed an unparalleled beauty—a transformation in demeanor, as if she had instantly become an unparalleled genius maiden from a little girl.

"Grown up..."

Li Che watched this scene and couldn't help but sigh.

He still remembered when she was born—the little girl was so tiny she barely filled two palms; unknowingly, she had grown into such a big girl!

She already bore the allure that could topple nations and cities!

Li Che's lips curled into a proud smile; he still felt a bit proud, for as a father seeing his daughter's growth, how could he not be proud?

Although they had endured many hardships and dangers along the way,

but Li Che overcame them all, bringing the little girl out of a small town to now stand at the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths!

Li Che could raise his chest and fully vent his pride as a father.

Splash—

The sound of splintering water; Xixi's long eyelashes twitched slightly; her chubby cheeks had receded, losing baby fat and gaining maiden grace.

"Daddy!"

Xixi opened her eyes, beginning to feel dazed.

Slowly, light returned to her eyes; she instantly saw Li Che standing beside the Hell Lotus Mound Pool. Xixi smiled, then stepped forward with her long legs, sending ripples across the pool as she walked on water.

Buzz—

Black lotuses bloomed and swayed, as if a soft whisper echoed by the ears.

Li Che's gaze tightened; the flesh between his brows split, and the Star-Plucking Pupil instantly appeared.

Gazing into the Void and Returning to Truth, he instantly saw the floating phantoms—the phantoms of past Hell Lotus maidens!

Li Che drew a deep breath; how could there still be so many phantoms of Hell Lotus maidens?

Could it be that Xixi hasn't completed the inheritance?

Li Che harbored doubts; when Xixi stepped ashore, she finally answered his doubts.

"Because... the predecessors knew today is Xixi's birthday; they're all kind, letting Xixi come ashore to celebrate a happy birthday first, then continue receiving the inheritance!"

Xixi said with a giggle.

She hopped to Li Che's side and clung to his arm.

Upon hearing, Li Che's heart relaxed; he also felt moved—the will of those past Hell Lotus maidens... well, they're actually quite nice.

But how could they be bad?

They were originally good children, but became tools of the gods, the fuse to ignite a divine tide, becoming the executioner manipulated by heaven and earth's will, constantly slaughtering spirits and releasing the source of divinity.

They themselves are innocent; the fault lies only in the fate they cannot escape!

If Xixi didn't have Li Che, she would also repeat this path, continuing on the road of those Hell Lotus maidens' fate.

Become the gods' tools, the blade of heaven and earth's will.

A flicker of tenderness flashed in Li Che's eyes; he rubbed Xixi, who had grown too tall beside him.

Xixi's figure is slender; she is now 1.7 meters tall, although only eleven, she already bears the bearing of a grown maiden.

"Today is your eleventh birthday; what do you want to eat? Daddy will make it for you."

Li Che said with a smile.

Dad is personally cooking today.

The boss beside him glanced at Li Che, as if saying, "You're stealing his job?"

However, Li Che ignored the boss's somewhat resentful gaze.

Xixi's body paused slightly, her voice turning a bit low: "Dad... Xixi wants to eat the longevity noodles made by Mom."

Li Che's smile froze slightly.

The atmosphere also fell silent in an instant.

Wife Zhang Ya... is still in that spatial passage of Taisu Heaven, suppressing four experts of the Heavenly Immortal level, so naturally she cannot make a bowl of longevity noodles for Xixi's birthday this year.

Every year on her birthday, except for the time Xixi was traveling, Zhang Ya would make her a bowl of longevity noodles, but this year's situation is truly too special.

"Dad promises you, next birthday I'll bring Mom back so she can make you longevity noodles, okay?" Li Che said.

Mm-hmm!

Xixi clung to Li Che's arm, nodding repeatedly.

Her eye sockets slightly reddened, not knowing how Mom was faring in that seal formation.

Li Che took a deep breath, restored his smile, and led Xixi toward the wooden house.

This year Li Che didn't invite many people, only the boss and Old Man Dog.

I'll go make two or three small dishes.

The boss's expression didn't change much; he gave a complex glance, as if seeing a somewhat familiar Xixi.

Then he turned and entered the kitchen.

We need to eat longevity noodles, but the birthday feast naturally cannot be lacking.

Upon entering the wooden house, Xixi played with Old Man Dog while Li Che began making the longevity noodles.

Although Li Che rarely cooks, he isn't completely clueless; back in Fēiléichéng, he was mostly responsible for cooking meals.

A bowl of longevity noodles presents no technical difficulty; in a moment Li Che finished it.

He thoughtfully added an egg, making it look just like the longevity noodles Zhang Ya always made for Xixi on her birthdays.

Steam rose, the glowing gem hanging from the wooden house's roof distorting the rising heat.

"Dad, Xixi is digging in!"

"Make a wish first." Li Che smiled, took off his apron, and sat on the chair.

Xixi clapped her palms together, closed her eyes, and immediately began making a wish in her heart.

Li Che didn't know what wish Xixi made, but it was likely related to Zhang Ya.

This only strengthened Li Che's resolve to rescue his wife Zhang Ya as soon as possible.

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, then was replaced by tenderness.

Xixi's appearance grew more like Zhang Ya's; her earlier mischievousness faded, making her more intellectual and graceful.

Xixi ate the noodles, her eyes slightly bright.

"Dad, your noodles are so delicious! Not inferior to Mom's!"

Li Che twitched the corner of his mouth: "Your mom used to be fed by me, your dad!"

Xixi grinned, dug in heartily, and in no time finished the whole bowl, leaving it spotless.

Just as she finished, the boss brought over three or four small dishes he'd cooked, plus a jug of wine.

The three sat at the table, eating dishes, drinking wine, chatting idly; the atmosphere was harmonious.

This was a birthday without much bustle; Xixi as a child used to like more people, more liveliness.

But as people age, they gradually prefer quiet, no longer liking many people celebrating their birthday; they just wish their important ones could accompany them for a birthday.

A birthday isn't usually grand and spectacular.

After Xixi finished the boss's three delicious dishes, she bade farewell to Li Che and, full of fighting spirit, re-entered the Prison Lotus Abyss Pool.

"Dad, Xixi is about to finish receiving all her sisters' inheritances!"

"Then Xixi will become extremely strong, able to be Dad's greatest help; we father and daughter will go together to slaughter and rescue Mom!"

Xixi's eyes shone bright, with clear fighting spirit.

She wants to rescue Zhang Ya; that is Xixi's greatest goal.

Li Che smiled: "All right, Dad will wait for you."

Watching the Prison Lotus Abyss Pool burst forth with immense Prison Lotus divinity, Xixi's divinity likewise sat cross-legged, eyes closed, as if swallowed by the lotus platform, sinking into the pool.

Li Che and the boss stood shoulder to shoulder beside the pool.

"Boss, you said that material in the netherworld... what is it?" Li Che asked.

Now, the Qitian Jia and Nezha Jia, through the design of the Immortal Craft Dao Fruit, are basically complete; we can begin replicating the two divine armors.

The boss took out a cigarette, handed it to Li Che; both held the cigarette, squatting beside the pool, watching the black lotus flowers rise and fall.

"In the netherworld there is a divine wood of the Second Saint rank, suitable for Qitian and Nezha, called the Hellfire Godwood; its exact location, Old Man Dog can take you there."

"If you want to go fetch this Hellfire Godwood, you originally also need Old Man Dog as a guide."

If you want to fetch this Hellfire Divine Wood, you originally also needed Gou Ye as a guide.

Li Che took a puff, exhaling a hazy smoke.

"Boss... how do you know all this? Have you been to the netherworld?" "Boss, who exactly are you?"

Li Che asked in a low voice the question that had long puzzled him.

"Are you, like him, from beyond heaven and earth, not belonging to this world?"

The boss fell silent, not answering Li Che's question; soon he stood up, brushing off the cigarette ash from his white clothes.

The boss fell silent, not answering Li Che's question, then quickly stood up and brushed the cigarette ash off his white clothes.

I... I'm the same as you.

The boss glanced at Li Che, and on his expressionless face gave an answer that made Li Che's pupils shrink slightly.

"In this world, I also have my own identity."

"However, I still prefer… to be a cook."

"Watching the clouds roll and unfold."

The boss turned and entered the restaurant; the clinking sound was the restaurant's wind chime being stirred.

Li Che continued to squat beside the Prison Lotus Tomb Pool, his eyes slightly opening and closing.

He looked at his own reflection in the black water of the pool, and suddenly he smiled.

He suddenly couldn't quite tell what the boss meant by saying it was the same as him.

"Is it that, like him, he doesn't belong to this world?"

"Or perhaps it means that, like Li Che, he also has an extra identity such as that of Ksitigarbha King?"

"But none of that matters anymore."

Thud—thud—thud—

Inside Li Che's chest, a violent vibration rumbled.

It seemed as if the water in the Prison Lotus Tomb Pool rippled in circles, continuously spreading.

In an instant, Li Che's eyes turned jet-black and profound, like black lightning constantly dancing wildly.

With each breath, heaven and earth trembled!

Li Che's aura throughout his body suddenly changed, no longer suppressed, bursting forth with the qi of an Opening Heaven Mystic Immortal!

Every inch of flesh and blood seemed to revive, stimulated by the approaching Dao Tree!

Thud—

It seemed as if a distant bell wave, like from ancient ages, thundered like a bell, profound and mysterious.

In his chest, the eleven Dao Fruits all at this moment jumped wildly, cheered and leapt, producing resonance!

Hum—

In an instant, everything before him changed; Li Che's powerful mind did not resist, being pulled into the vast wild heaven and earth, into the Dao Tree Space.

Within the Dao Tree Space.

Within the ancient and vast heaven and earth, the Dao Tree shoots straight into the clouds, billions of miles high, with countless stars hanging from its branches.

The Dao Tree became even more majestic, like an eternal, supreme existence nurturing a terrifying and powerful will.

However, so far, this will has never spread outward.

Li Che stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes becoming very calm.

He no longer seeks to explore the mysteries of the Dao Tree, for now he cannot yet uncover its true secrets.

There is also no need to do so.

Because he could be certain, the power of this Dao Tree absolutely surpasses the terrifying power of the Eternal Heaven, Imperial Rank, and Sovereign Level.

The Dao Tree is bound to Xixi; as Xixi grows, the Dao Tree also continually grows.

Now it is already different from before.

The secrets contained within are too great; even Li Che now cannot investigate them clearly for the time being.

But actually, Li Che's heart…

…has already made some guesses.

…vaguely guessed the origin of the Dao Tree…

Hum—

Upon the Dao Tree, it seemed as if a star was turning.

Slowly, it emerged from the branches.

With a patter, it fell down and floated before Li Che.

The void collapsed, as if directly cracking, this Dao Fruit…

Li Che's gaze narrowed slightly.

In the next moment, endless light burst from within the Dao Fruit, thick and dense, illuminating heaven and earth and all things, showing the events and scenes Xixi experienced at age ten.

That year.

Xixi is eleven years old; the Dao Fruit regenerates.

……

【Your daughter is eleven years old, having experienced heavenly and earthly upheaval, the changes of slaughter, understood the importance of power, began to seek the completeness and peace of the family, and obtained the Dao Fruit 'Reincarnation'.】

……

There was no seven-colored light; all radiance, at this moment, became dim and lightless, as if swallowed and obscured by endless deathly darkness.

Before his eyes, two bloody red characters were woven together, extremely cold.

It seemed filled with endless magic, as if to devour a person's heart and mind.

To make one fall into a repeating cycle of spacetime.

"Reincarnation…"

Li Che's eyes involuntarily tightened.

The twelfth Dao Fruit!

Reincarnation!

Li Che drew a deep breath; the eleventh Dao Fruit is Hell.

So far, Li Che has not yet elevated it to a higher level.

Perhaps it is because the battle he faces is too severe.

Li Che hasn't really researched the Hell Dao Fruit.

But it's also because the conditions for the Hell Dao Fruit's transformation are rather harsh.

And now this Dao Fruit is actually 'Reincarnation'!

Li Che hovered in the vast heavens and earth, the Dao Tree swaying, his five fingers clenching tightly into a fist.

This Dao Tree...

Where exactly did it come from?!

Hell... Reincarnation...

Aren't these things from the netherworld?

The master of the Reincarnation Dao Fruit couldn't be the Reincarnation Sovereign of the netherworld, could it?!

Hum—

A tremendously powerful repelling force suddenly burst forth.

The Dao Tree swayed its branches, trying to send Li Che out of the vast heavens and earth.

However, this time Li Che refused, his qi and blood surging, his spine like a dragon, he roared angrily, the extraordinary martial apertures all igniting, his qi and blood erupting like seawater.

Li Che held up the Dao Tree's repelling force.

Supporting the Reincarnation Dao Fruit, he walked step by step toward the top of the Dao Tree.

He wanted to see the heavy Dao Fruit hanging there.

His gaze locked onto the Pure Heart Dao Fruit.

Within the Pure Heart Dao Fruit, there seemed to be a blurry figure sitting cross-legged.

Li Che wanted to see, within the Pure Heart Dao Fruit...

The projected phantom of the Dao Fruit's master—could it possibly be... the Three Worlds Tathagata!

If the Three Worlds Tathagata is the master of the Dao Fruit, then why... does the Three Worlds Tathagata himself seem unaware of his own identity as the Dao Fruit's master?

What exactly is obscuring the will of an Imperial Heavenly Immortal?

Step by step, Li Che withstood the Dao Tree's repelling force, drawing near the Pure Heart Dao Fruit.

Boom—rumble—

The Dao Tree's will seemed to sense Li Che's actions and resistance.

Instantly, the repelling force became even more terrifying!

Whoosh—

Countless branches swiftly gathered, above Li Che's head, suddenly forming a colossal hand made of tree branches!

Li Che gazed at the Pure Heart Dao Fruit a hundred zhang away, its blurry figure reflected.

The Eight Nine Mysterious Art surged to its peak, the Life-Death Immortal Body erupting!

He raised his arms, literally bracing against the Dao Tree's striking branch hand.

One side bracing that great hand.

Meanwhile, he moved toward the laden, heavy Pure Heart Dao Fruit hanging above, which had achieved the Eight Transformations.

A hundred zhang, fifty zhang, ten zhang...

Getting ever closer!

As he drew nearer, Li Che felt as if he were increasingly approaching and touching the truth of the world.

He was about to glimpse the great secret concerning the Dao Tree's space, and even concerning the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Li Che raised his arms, each step he took in the void causing the void to crack like a spiderweb.

Immensely heavy!

The power and pressure released by the Dao Tree's will grew ever greater.

But in Li Che's eyes, only the Pure Heart Dao Fruit remained.

Within the Eight-Transformation Pure Heart Dao Fruit, that phantom also grew clearer in his pupils.

Boom—

The Dao Tree's will erupted explosively.

In an instant, Li Che could no longer withstand it, being hurled straight out of the Dao Tree's space.

But, before being flung out.

Li Che's eyes burst forth with brilliant light.

Because, he finally saw clearly the phantom within the Pure Heart Dao Fruit.

It turned out to be him!

(End of chapter)